Fan Service
by Lucy May
Summary: The director of Bad Luck's latest video has his own ideas about fanservice. Yuki is not pleased. Hiro is frustrated. And Ryuichi is frightened for his virtue. YxShu, SuguruHiro.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation. _

"Next on our agenda is the filming of the first of the promotional videos to fulfill our contract with a national music store chain," K said, pointing to the indecipherable mess he'd scribbled on the dry erase board in his office.

"I wonder if he realizes he's the only one who can read that?" Hiro mused, looking at Suguru, who shrugged.

Shuichi was napping happily, his little pink head resting on the table, drool glistening in a pool before him. K glowered at him, pulling an inactive grenade from his belt and bouncing it off the sleeping chibi's head.

"Wa?" Shuichi said groggily, blinking his eyes.

"Pay attention, or the next one will be live!" K yelled. Sakano stood up.

"I have exciting news, boys! Our new video is going to be made by Thelonious Smith, the most popular video director in America! He's flown all the way out here to shoot for Bad Luck," Sakano said excitedly, wringing his hands.

"Thelonious Smith?" Shuichi asked, impressed. "Didn't he do that controversial video for Sakuma Ryuichi's solo album?"

"That's the one. He owed Judy a favor," K said smugly.

"What was controversial about it?" Suguru asked. Shuichi giggled.

"Ryuichi is naked in it! It never got aired anywhere. Tatsuha is the only person I know who has a copy, and he claims he had to sell his soul to some guy he met in an alley for it," Shuichi said.

"There's really no need for me to be in this video, right? I mean, it's Shuichi the fans want to see," Suguru said, backing nervously towards the door. His escape was thwarted as he stepped back into a young man coming into the room.

"Well hello there, guys. I'm excited to be working on this. It's going to be great!" a man with blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail said with a dazzling, toothy smile as he gently pushed Suguru back onto his feet. "I've just spent the last week studying your pop culture and all your press releases, and I've got loads of great ideas."

"Wonderful! We'll start shooting tomorrow, right?" K asked. Thelonious nodded enthusiastically.

"That's right! Why don't we all go out for lunch to discuss our creative visions?" Thelonious suggested. The tired musicians readily agreed, having been in the studio all day, and the group of men filed out into the hallway.

"By the way," K asked in a confidential tone, "How did you ever talk Ryuichi into doffing his clothes for you? He never would tell me."

"That's between me and Sakuma-san," Thelonious said with a wink.

As they prepared to leave, the elevator door opened, revealing a carefree Ryuichi, cradling Kumagoro and humming a tune to the little plush bunny. He looked up, his eyes widening with fright as they rested on Thelonious.

"Oh no, it's the bad, dirty boy! Run, Kuma!" the singer wailed, running down the hall as fast as he could. The members of Bad Luck gave the young man a startled, questioning look.

"Clearly, he mistook me for someone else," Thelonious said with a shrug, his broad smile never wavering.

"So, what kind of ideas do you have for the video?" Sakano asked nervously as they continued on their way, stepping over the crayons and various glittery things Ryuichi had left in his wake.

oooo

"Boy's love," the young man said, with his perpetual smile only broadening.

"Come again?" Hiro said, eyeing him warily.

"It's quite a phenomenon here. It's even starting to grow in popularity back in the States. I mean, having a singer in relationship with another sexy guy hasn't exactly hurt your careers any," Thelonious said, giving Shuichi a long look that made the boy turn as pink as his hair.

"But what does that have to do with our video? It's not like Yuki's going to be in it," Shuichi said.

"He doesn't have to be. Have you ever read your fanzines? The girls are just crazy about the idea of you and Hiro flirting it up a little," Thelonious said with a laugh. Shuichi's eyes grew large.

"But everyone knows I'm in love with Yuki!" Shuichi exclaimed.

"Of course they do," Thelonious said, patting the singer on the head. "It's just a harmless fantasy, that's all. A little fan service for the ladies, you know?"

"I don't know about this," Shuichi said, suddenly brightening. "Hey! What about Suguru and Hiro? Wouldn't that be more convincing?"

"Leave me out of this," Suguru said, as the words sunk in. "Hey, what did you mean by that?" Shuichi shrugged.

"I just meant that you two aren't in a well publicized, beautiful, amazing, wildly romantic relationship with the sexiest man alive," Shuichi said, his expression dreamy. Everyone at the table rolled their eyes and groaned but Shuichi and Thelonious.

"That's just beautiful!" Thelonious cried, wiping at a crocodile tear. "I love your passion! Oh, if I could bottle that! I want to film that, right there, that kind of devotion. Only, still, it's you and Hiro the fans want, and we must not let down the fangirls. Won't anyone think about the fangirls?"

Shuichi's lip trembled.

"You're right! We must please the people who so selflessly gave their hard earned money to make us number one! And if that means I have to -- wait, what exactly do you want me to do?" Shuichi asked. Thelonious' eyes sparkled in triumph.

"It will all be very tasteful, I assure you. Just a little flirting, some heavy innuendo, maybe a kiss. Nothing more," Thelonious said, waving his hand airily.

"A kiss?" Shiuchi said, sitting up with alarm. Thelonious held up his hands, laughing.

"Okay, no kiss, no kiss!" Thelonious said, turning to Hiro, who was chewing thoughtfully on the end of his drink straw. "So what do you think, Nakano-san?"

"Well, you know how I feel about publicity gimmicks, Shuichi, but if you're okay with it, I'm in," Hiro said quietly.

oooo

"Um -- heh heh, someone forgot to give me the shirt for my costume!" Shuichi called nervously, sticking his head from behind the door to his dressing room.

"There's no shirt, Shuichi. Now be a sport and let us have a look," Thelonious replied, swiveling around in his chair on the set, where Hiro was already starting to fidget in his too tight leather pants and filmy see through red shirt.

"But -- but," Shuichi stammered, as K emerged from behind the door, cocking his gun at the singer's head.

"Do not question your director," K commanded, jerking the boy out by his ear.

"Oww! Okay!" Shuichi whined, crossing his arms over his chest and walking stiffly onto the set.

"Hey! He gets to wear a shirt! Why does he get to wear a shirt?" Shuichi cried, pointing at the guitarist.

"If it's any consolation, it isn't much of a shirt," Hiro said, sitting back in a chair and eyeing his friend's modest stance with amusement. "I can see your nipple when you point." Shuichi squeaked, clutching his other arm to his chest.

"Now, now, let's be reasonable here. We're all professionals, right?" Thelonious said, prying Shuichi's arms to his sides. "What are you being so modest for, Shuichi? I've seen you in skimpy stage costumes. You have a beautiful body." Shuichi blushed, squirming slightly.

"Um -- thanks?" Shuichi said uncertainly, as the director returned to his chair.

"Great. Now if you'll just straddle Hiro on that chair there, we'll start the music and get to filming," Thelonious said.

"What the hell kind of video is this?" Shuichi yelled, grabbing Suguru off the sidelines and using him as a human shield.

"Do I really have to be here for this? I'm not even in this scene," Suguru groaned.

"Nah, take the next two hours off. We'll shoot your part later," Thelonious said amiably, Shuichi losing his veil of protection so quickly that he nearly toppled over backwards.

"Look at him go," K said with a low whistle, regarding the cloud of dust that had once been Bad Luck's keyboardist, before focusing on Shuichi. "You still giving your director trouble, punk?"

"No sir!" Shuichi said with a forced grin, jumping in Hiro's lap with a thud.

"Okay, when we roll the music I want you to mouth along with the vocals, looking deep in Nakano-san's eyes, got it?" Thelonious said.

"Got it?" K echoed before Shuichi could protest, Hiro looking on the proceedings with bored detachment, despite having a lapfull of Shuichi thrust upon him.

oooo

"Can you believe this crap?" Shuichi grumbled, pulling the loose blue sweater he'd thrown on about him as he sat in the booth of a little cafe near the filming studio.

"I don't know what you're upset about. You're the one who agreed that a little fan service wasn't a bad idea," Hiro said with a shrug. "I mean, David Bowie did some stuff like this back in the seventies, didn't he? And remember all the fangirling over the possibility that Tohma and Ryuichi were getting it on back when we were in high school and Nittle Grasper were at their peak?"

"Those girls liked to pair us, too, remember?" Shuichi said, laughing at the memory.

"So, see? This is nothing all that new," Hiro said.

"It's just embarrassing. And it feels like I'm being unfaithful to Yuki somehow," Shuichi said.

"It's just acting, you know? I doubt K feels like Judy is cheating on him when she does all those love scenes with other men. Otherwise he'd probably shoot them. Just as long as you don't enjoy it too much, you know?" Hiro said, waggling his eyebrows teasingly. Shuichi looked at the table, blushing furiously.

"Oh, so you did enjoy it then," Hiro said. Shuichi nodded, hanging his head.

"Maybe just a little," Shuichi muttered. Hiro sighed.

"All right, I'm full of shit. Like there would be any acting involved with me pretending to be attracted to you. I mean, you'd have to be a completely oblivious idiot to not know I've always found you attractive --" Hiro stopped when he saw the look of complete astonishment on the face of his best friend.

"Oh, uh," Hiro said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "So I guess you didn't know that. Look, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. It probably just felt so intense because you were reading my emotions into it. I know you love Yuki. Hell, it's just a stupid video, right?"

"We have to put a stop to this. It's hurting you," Shuichi said. Hiro gave a dismissive gesture.

"I gave up on that possibility before you even met Yuki. It's no big deal. A little frustrating, maybe --" Hiro trailed off, with an uneasy laugh. "Look, everything's cool between us, right? Let's just go back to the studio and get this the hell over with." Shuichi nodded, and they paid their bill and walked back to the studio.

Shuichi had just followed Hiro in the door, when a man in a ski mask ran in, flung the little singer over his shoulder and ran out of the building. The other men looked at each other in shock.

"What the hell was that all about?" K asked in wonder.

"Um, shouldn't one of us call the police or something?" Hiro asked.

"This is Shuichi we're talking about. Do you really think anyone would kidnap him on purpose? They'll probably drop him back off in an hour or two," K said with a yawn.

"You have a point," Suguru said, having come back to shoot his scene.

oooo

"Who are you? What do you want? Are you going to hold me for ransom?" Shuichi asked frantically, imagining Yuki rolling his eyes and tossing the ransom note in the waste bin. "Wah! Yuki! Why are you even mean to me in my random thoughts while being kidnapped?"

"It's okay, Shuichi! I've come to rescue you!" Shuichi's assailant announced cheerfully, darting around the corner in front of more than a few bewildered onlookers.

"Ryuichi?" Shuichi asked. It made sense now. Who else would commit a major crime wearing a glittery pink ski mask with cat ears, Shuichi wondered. Who else would even own one, for that matter?

"Yes?" Ryuichi asked as casually as if he wasn't carrying the boy like a sack of potatoes down a busy street.

"Um, rescuing me from what, exactly?" Shuichi asked, growing dizzy from the view of the passing sidewalk below.

"That dirty boy, of course! He was going to make Shuichi do naughty things in front of his camera!" Shuichi said.

"So, where exactly are you taking me?" Shuichi asked, his face slamming firmly against Ryuichi's back as the man came to an abrupt stop. He set the boy on the sidewalk before him and pulled off the ski mask, his dark blue eyes rolling up innocently as he thought.

"I don't know. Do you want to go to the zoo? I'll buy you ice cream," Ryuichi said, smiling brightly. Shuichi rubbed his sore nose, looking at his idol with confusion.

"Um, I think I'd probably better go back to the studio, Ryuichi," Shuichi said. Ryuichi grabbed him by his narrow shoulders, shaking him.

"No! He'll try to make you take your clothes off!" Ryuichi wailed. An elderly woman crossed the street to avoid them. "It was horrible! He threatened Kumagoro, and made me stand around naked, and -- and it was cold in there!"

"It's okay, Sakuma-san. I won't let them exploit Shuichi. Not too much, anyway," Hiro said, coming up behind them. "Come on, Shuichi."

Shuichi gave the older vocalist a little wave before walking away.

"We'll go to the zoo some other time, okay?" Shuichi called over his shoulder.

When they returned to the studio, Suguru was inspecting something made of pleather on a coathanger with mild disgust.

"That does it. I quit the band," Suguru said, flinging it over his shoulder and walking into the barrel of K's gun, leveling the man with a weary expression. "Go ahead and shoot."

oooo

"So this is what you've been whining about all week, huh?" Yuki asked, studying the nondescript video tape Shuichi had brought in. "Let's see it, then."

"Really?" Shuichi asked. "You really want to see our new video?"

"Yes, already. Shut up and put it in before I change my mind," Yuki said, cracking open a beer and sitting on the couch. Shuichi bounced over to the VCR and popped the tape in, diving back onto the couch and snuggling against the writer as the video began.

A rather sultry, slow song that was to be their next single faded in with a shot of the group playing in an empty room full of candles. Shuichi slinkily made his way over to Hiro and stood close behind him, nearly brushing his ear with his lips as he purred out the sensual lyrics.

"What the hell is this?" Yuki asked, frowning.

The next shot was the one with a shirtless Shuichi sitting in Hiro's lap, singing to him with mutually lustful gazes between them. Yuki shot up out of his seat, grabbing the remote and stopping the video as he sank back down onto the sofa, glaring at Shuichi.

"What do you think you're doing?" Yuki asked.

"It was the director's idea. You know, playing up the whole homoerotic thing for the fans," Shiuchi said with a shrug. Yuki's eyebrow shot up.

"What, isn't the fact that we're lovers homoerotic enough for them?" Yuki asked irritably. Shuichi's eyes sparkled.

"You're jealous! Oh, Yuki, you really do love me!" Shuichi cried, tugging on the other man's sleeve. Yuki growled, shaking him off.

"My hole. Bad Shuichi," Yuki muttered, smacking Shuichi on the back of the head.

"Oooh, Yuki! You're such a caveman!" Shuichi said, giggling with delight as Yuki slung him over his shoulder and hauled him off to the bedroom to prove his point.


	2. Chapter 2

Shuichi floated, starry eyed, into the recording studio the next day, flinging himself back dramatically over Hiro, who was seated at the mixing table.

"Guess who got jealous over the video?" Shuichi asked in a sing-song voice, looking up at the guitarist.

"The hundreds of women throughout Japan who've just been praying that I'm really the straight one?" Hiro asked with a smirk. Shuichi sat up, nearly smacking Hiro's head with his own.

"No, you idiot! Yuki!" Shuichi yelled.

"Yuki Eiri, jealous of me. My the tables have turned, haven't they? First the boy I liked was taken by him, then the girl, and he's jealous of a video?" Hiro mused. Shuichi wasn't listening.

"It was so cool! It was like he was all possessive and stuff, over me!" Shuichi cooed with far away eyes.

"Can't you guys control yourselves?" Suguru muttered irritably, coming into the studio and eyeing their compromising position warily.

"Do you think he's jealous, too?" Shuichi asked, turning to Hiro.

"Yes, I cannot hide my secret lust for you any longer, Shuichi," Suguru said irritably, rolling his eyes and heading for his keyboard. Shuichi slid off Hiro's lap as the guitarist went to fetch his instrument, looking at the keyboardist curiously.

"You're actually late, Suguru. And you look like hell. What's going on?" Hiro asked, picking up his guitar and sitting on a stool. Suguru shrugged.

"Still a bit worn out from the video shoot, I guess," the keyboardist said, fiddling with the settings on his instrument.

"Did you watch the advance copy Thelonius gave you?" Hiro asked absently, tuning his guitar. Suguru nodded.

"I'm not too crazy about it, really," Suguru muttered. Shuichi turned to them with a sheepish smile.

"What if I told you that it's never going to air?" Shuichi asked. The others looked up at him in surprise.

"What? All that work for nothing?" Hiro asked irritably.

"Um -- well, Yuki kinda called Tohma and -- we're shooting a different version, starting next week," Shuichi said, rubbing the back of his neck and not quite meeting the eyes of his bandmates, who groaned and cursed.

oooo

"So, this video thing is turning out to be a real pain in the ass, huh?" Hiro asked Suguru as they headed for the elevator.

Hiro and Suguru had developed a closer friendship over the past year. With Shuichi spending most of his time with Yuki, and his relationship with Ayaka having ended not long after it started, Hiro had found the company of the mild mannered keyboardist a welcome distraction. He'd noticed one evening that the boy seemed as lonely as he was, having no real social life outside of the band, and Suguru had readily agreed to have a casual meal with him. They had hung out after work on a regular basis since then, usually just discussing work related topics and music in general.

"I can't believe we're going to have to spend another week with that Thelonius guy," Suguru said, rolling his eyes. They stepped into the elevator, the door shutting behind them.

"Yeah, he is something else," Hiro said. "Well, you did say you didn't like the video," he added teasingly. Suguru shrugged, punching the button for the garage level.

"You did though, didn't you? I mean, doing that, with Shuichi?" Suguru asked quietly with his back turned.

"Nah, not so much anymore. It was more like a high school fantasy," Hiro said uneasily. "I'm pretty transparent, aren't I?" Hiro laughed.

"I don't know. I never thought about you liking guys before," Suguru said, still facing the door. "Are you in love with Shuichi, then?"

"No! He's my friend. He's happy with Yuki and I'm happy for him. I -- I just haven't been out with anyone in while, you know?" Hiro said, flustered.

"Sorry. It's really none of my business," Suguru said, giving him a small smile over his shoulder as the door to the elevator opened on the garishly lit parking garage.

"No, it's okay, I don't mind your asking. I know one thing, though. I'm never getting involved with anyone who's into Yuki Eiri again," Hiro said with a slight frown.

"Well, that excludes the female population of Japan," Suguru said. "Oh, and my cousin Tohma," he added, rolling his eyes. The two friends laughed as Hiro pulled two helmets from the back of his motorcycle, handing one to Suguru.

"So, what about you?" Hiro asked, pulling his long hair back and slipping the helmet on.

"No, strangely enough, I'm not in love with Yuki Eiri," Suguru said with a smirk, sliding onto the bike behind the guitarist. Hiro laughed.

"No, smartass, I mean why aren't you seeing anyone?" Hiro asked.

"I don't know. There's plenty of time left for that stuff. Right now I'd just rather focus on my band," Suguru said, wrapping his arms snugly around Hiro's waist as the guitarist started the engine. Hiro tried not to notice how nice it felt to have his friend's arms around him.

"Hey, Hiro, I'm not much in the mood for a lot of fuss and signing autographs today. Why don't we get take out and go to my place?" Suguru said casually, leaning near to be heard over the engine. Hiro swallowed hard at the feeling of warm breath on his ear, asking himself what the hell his problem was.

"Um -- my place is closer. Why don't I cook us something?" Hiro offered, yelling back over his shoulder as they left the NG building behind them.

"Sure, that's fine," Suguru said in his ear. _He did not say it seductively_, Hiro told himself, irritated at his own thoughts.

As they turned the corner, weaving out of the heavy traffic, Hiro nearly lost control of his bike as a figure in pink plush darted in his path, pursued by a man with dark glasses and a slicked back ponytail.

"Wonder what the hell that was about?" Hiro called, looking back over his shoulder.

"We probably don't want to know," Suguru said with a gasp, still recovering from their near wreck. He clutched Hiro even tighter, making the guitarist wince in discomfort.

A few agonizing moments later, Hiro stopped at his apartment building, taking a deep breath before dismounting and proceeding Suguru up the stairs.

"I'd forgotten what a mess the place is," Hiro said apologetically, as they entered the cluttered front room. He cleared some CDs and magazines off of the sofa, and gestured for Suguru to sit.

"This manga's really good, have you read it yet?" Suguru asked, plucking the slip covered paperback off of the coffee table and flipping through it.

"Nah. It's really weird. I usually devour that one when there's a new volume, but I just can't seem to concentrate on anything for more than a minute lately," Hiro said with a shrug and walked behind the counter of the kitchenette area. Suguru turned around on the sofa to face him, resting his head on the back and gazing at him with warm brown eyes.

"Maybe you're just frustrated," Suguru suggested, making Hiro drop the pan he had just pulled from the shelf.

"Frustrated?" Hiro asked, his voice muffled as he bent down to retrieve the cookware. Suguru laughed.

"You're obviously tense. We've had video shoots and studio sessions pretty much back to back for weeks now. I'm starting to get pretty burnt out myself," Suguru said.

"Yeah, that must be it," Hiro murmured, standing upright and telling himself that Suguru was not giving him a flirtatious look.

"Except it isn't, is it?" Suguru asked with a funny little smile. "It's that video shoot." Hiro stopped what he was doing, lost in thought for a moment.

"Not really. I was feeling like this before that whole ordeal. I know you're thinking that this has something to do with Shuichi, but it really doesn't," Hiro said. Hiro knew he didn't imagine the look of relief that crossed the keyboardist's face, and it puzzled him.

oooo

"Yuuukiiii!" Shuichi called merrily as he rushed into the apartment, finding the front room empty. He heard the sound of rushing water as he entered the hallway and bypassed the author's study in favor of the bathroom.

"Yuki! Tohma told me you called him," Shuichi said, sticking his face in the steamy room and admiring his lover's silhouette through the shower door. Yuki turned the water off, and flung open the door.

"What the hell do you want, brat? This had better be important. I can't hear you over the water," Yuki said, looking at the boy irritably. Shuichi froze, taking in an eyeful of dripping, naked Yuki.

"Um -- I love you?" Shuichi said absently, wiping at his nosebleed.

"Drop dead," Yuki said, turning the shower back on, but not closing the door. Shuichi remained mesmerized.

"Better wash that blood off, baka," Yuki muttered after a few minutes. He was thrown back against the tiles by a naked, pink haired ball of energy before he could even look to him for a response.

"Gah! Are you trying to give me a concussion?" Yuki hissed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry, Yuki. Tohma told me that you asked him to pull the video," Shuichi said, rubbing his fingertips over Yuki's soapy chest with a small smile. "You really were jealous, weren't you?" Yuki shrugged.

"I just don't feel like seeing you giving Hiro a lap dance every time I flip through the channels, if that's all right with you," Yuki said.

"Of course it is," Shuichi murmured contentedly, knowing that would be the most he'd ever coax his lover to say on the matter without being forced to sleep on the couch for the night. "We have to shoot another video now." Yuki grunted without interest.

"I don't know what Thelonious is planning for this one, really. He seemed really disappointed that the first one was shot down. He's afraid of getting a bad reputation since this is his second video to be pulled," Shuichi prattled on, as Yuki threaded shampooed fingers into the singer's hair.

"Didn't he make that one I caught Tatsuha in my living room with his pants down over?" Yuki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep, that's the one," Shuichi said with a shudder.

"I ought to send him the bill for having my couch re-upholstered," Yuki said with a frown.

oooo

"So," Hiro said, calmly observing the bound and gagged former Nittle Grasper member in the corner of the dressing room, "Sakuma-san's going to be in this one?"

"At least I hope that's why he's in here," Suguru said, kneeling to free the struggling singer. "But with Thelonious you never can tell."

"You have to help me!" Ryuichi gasped as his gag was removed. Shuichi entered the room, looking at the scene with shock.

"What are you guys doing to Sakuma-san?" Shuichi asked, looking at his friends accusingly.

"We're taking out the competition in case Nittle Grasper makes another comeback. Seguchi-san's in the closet," Hiro said with a grin.

"Not literally, either," Suguru muttered under his breath as he tried in vain to untie Ryuichi. "Damn it! Give me a knife or something."

"Sorry, I'm fresh out them," Hiro said, as Ryuichi whimpered pitifully.

"Stand back, amateurs," K said, walking into the room with a superior grin.

"You're not going to try to shoot them off are you?" Shuichi asked, his lip trembling. Ryuichi pulled himself onto his bound feet and tried to hop away. K reached back as he passed him, pulling him back by the hood of his jacket and whipping out a rather frightening bit of cutlery.

"Guns aren't the only weapons I'm handy with. Don't limit me with your expectations!" K said merrily, slinging the terrified Grasper vocalist back to the floor, and slicing the ropes from his hands and feet in two graceful movements.

"Thanks, K!" Ryuichi said, hugging the Bad Luck manager greatfully. K grabbed Ryuichi by the waist and started for the door.

"Thelonious sent me in here to get you," K said. Ryuichi kicked and fought, looking to Shuichi with pleading eyes.

"Shuichi, help me! He's going to make me do bad things! He's going to threaten Kumagoro!" Ryuichi wailed, his arms waving frantically.

"You don't have Kumagoro with you," Shuichi observed with a blank expression. Ryuichi's head dropped in defeat, his blue eyes staring up from brown fringe.

"That's not the Kumagoro I'm talking about," Ryuichi whimpered as K hauled him out the door, leaving the others scratching their heads.

oooo

Fortunately for everyone involved, the scenario of the new video was considerably more tame. Shuichi had presented the director with a long list of things he could not do on film, courtesy of Yuki Eiri, with a proud little smile plastered to his blushing face.

"Some of these are just weird," Hiro said, looking over the now infamous list while they took a break. "Like where he objects to your eating Pocky, bananas, celery, ice cream, hot dogs -- well, it pretty much goes on to list every remotely phallic food known to man. Isn't he going a little overboard?" Shuichi gave dreamy nod.

"It's romantic though, right?" Shuichi asked, receiving an unbelieving stare from his bandmates. "You know, in a cute, neurotically over possessive, Yuki kind of way."

"Sure, kid, however you want to look at it," Hiro said, giving his friend a pat on the head.

The new video was just the band performing on a set made to look like a smoky, atmospheric club. Ryuichi found, to his great relief, that he was merely to make a small cameo as the bartender, though he still nervously jumped at his own shadow until he was allowed to flee the set.

"I'm trying to think of something to spice it up a little," Thelonious grumbled to K as the group made their way from the day's shoot. "If I can think of anything Shindou-san's boyfriend doesn't object to. I guess it's for the best. I can't afford to have another of my masterpieces shelved, after all."

"Don't worry. You can still make something off the first video on the black market," K said, slapping the director on the back. "Not to mention you can probably auction off that list as an unpublished work by Yuki Eiri. Just think of the publicity!"

Shuichi threw his arm around Hiro as they reached the sidewalk outside.

"Well, as simple as the new video is, I bet the shoot won't be as long," Shuichi said.

"It's not a big deal. I'm getting used to being on a set now," Hiro said with a shrug. Shuichi gazed up at his friend curiously.

"Something's different about you. You just seem -- I don't know -- more relaxed?" Shuichi said. Hiro gave him a serene smile.

"Let's just say I've worked out some of my frustrations from last week," Hiro said, walking away from Shuichi to his bike, where Suguru was waiting for him.

_A/N: What happens when Thelonious Smith is called in to direct another Bad Luck video? Find out in the sequel, "Sex Tape Scandal"! _


End file.
